Spacer guide for antenna cables



Oct. 13, 1959 GARMAN 2,908,470

SPACER GUIDE FOR ANTENNA CABLES- Filed Dec. 12, 1956 INVENTOR.

N I I DONALD F. GARM 6 ma/.21..

ATTORNEY United States Patent SPACER GUIDE FOR ANTENNA CABLES Donald F.Garman, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Prestole Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, acorporation of Michigan Application December 12, 1956, Serial No.627,791

4 Claims. (Cl. 248231) This invention relates generally to sheet metalfasteners but more particularly to television antenna standoff clips orbuckles for antenna cables, such for example as used for attaching thecable in laterally spaced relation to a television antenna mast or othersupport.

Heretofore, it has been the practice to employ machine screw brackets inconnection with standoff clips for the antenna cables when mounted onmasts or poles but when attached to the side of a wooden structure, suchas a house for example, wood screw standoifs are employed. This requiresthe workmen and distributors to stock both types, and it is adesideratum to have available a single type of standoff which can beused in either location and thereby obviate the necessity of stockingboth forms.

An object is to produce a simple and inexpensive sheet metal standoffclip of the above character which can be applied to masts and whichinvolves a standoff having a tapered threaded shank which can be removedfrom the clip and applied to wooden structures.

Another object is to produce a device of the above character employing atapered standoff but which can be attached to a novel clip for securingthe device to an antenna mast, thereby enabling the workmen to carryonly the tapered standoff and eliminating the necessity of also carryingmachine screw standoffs.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appearand for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, embodiments ofthe invention are shown on the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a standoff clip for antenna cablesapplied to a mast;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the mast engaging clip with the flexiblemetallic band shown in fragment;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view substantially on the line 33 ofFigure 2;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the mast engaging clip showing thetapered screw standoff in engagement therewith;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view substantially on the line 5-5 ofFigure 4;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of an alternate form of mast engagingclip in which the guide for the standoff is formed by tongues struckfrom the sides of the clip; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the form of clip shown onFigure 6.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises an antenna mast orpole M of the usual type to which is secured a sheet metal clip 11. Theclip 11 is formed with a flat end panel 12 which has integral parallelside walls 13 and oppositely extending diagonal legs 14 which as shownin Figure 1 are in generally straddling relation to the mast M. In orderto strengthen the structure, the side edges are bent to form reinforcingflanges 15. A flexible metallic band 16 is secured to the outer endportion of one of the legs 14 by a rivet 17, and encircles the mast, thefree end portion of the strap or band 16 2,908,470 Patented Oct. 13,1959 passing through slots 18 in the upper portion of each of the legs.The band is secured in place by means hereinafter described.

Integrally formed in the central portion of the end panel 12 is a nutimpression 19 caused by piercing and punching the metal to form ahelical edge such as to receive the threads of a standoff 20. Thestandoff 20 has an elongate tapered shank with wood screw threads at theouterend portion and being pointed as illustrated, the opposite end ofthe shank being formed into a loop head 21 to receive an externallygrooved flexible insulating disc 22 of rubber or similar material. Thedisc is shaped to fit within the loop head 21 as shown and is formedwith a notch or slit 23 through which the ribbon-like antenna cableextends as will be readily understood by those skilled in this art.

The juncture of the side walls 13 and the diagonal legs 14 isconstructed as follows. An integral inwardly extending wall 24 is formedon each of the side walls 13 and is disposed generally parallel to theend panel 12. Integral with the inner ends of the walls 24 arerelatively short vertical walls 25 which as shown particularly on Figure3 are spaced from each other and in parallel relationship. Integral withthe lower end of each of the vertical walls 25 is an integral outwardlyextending wall 26 generally parallel to the walls 24 and integral at itsouter end with the respective diagonal leg 14. Formed in each of thevertical walls 25 is a centrally disposed notch or embosture 27, the twonotches being opposite from each other and being aligned with theopening in the nut impression 19.

It will be manifest from the above description that the standoff 20 maybe screwed into the nut impression 19 and passed through the cooperatingnotches 27 which serve as a supporting guide for the threaded endportion of the screw. By tightening up on the screw 20 the point thereofmay be moved into engagement with the free end portion of the strap 16to hold it from coming loose and as the screw passes through the notchportion, a binding action is set up between the screw and the notchportions 27 thereby to secure the screw from coming loose. Manifestly ifthe antenna cable is to be mounted on a wooden structure, the screwbracket 20 may be used alone and screwed into the structure.

In the form shown on Figures 6 and 7, the mast engaging clip is formedsimilarly with a top panel 28 having a similar nut impression 28a anddepending from the top panel are integral downwardly and oppositelyinclined legs 29. The side edges are turned to provide reinforcingflanges 29a. Similarly a flexible metal strap 30 is secured to the endportion of one of the legs by a rivet 31. In this instance tongues 32are struck out from each of the legs 29, the lower end of the tonguesbeing integral with the legs and the upper end portions inclininginwardly toward each other. The free edge of each of the tongues 32 isformed with a notch 33. In this manner the standoff 20 passing throughthe nut impression 28a will engage the notch portions 33 of the tongueswhich thus serves not only supportingly to guide the standoff but alsoto set up a binding action to retain it from coming loose.

Numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and choice ofmaterials may be effected without departing from the spirit of theinvention, especially as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A clip for mounting a stand-off screw on a mast comprising, a pair ofangularly convergent arm members adapted to embrace one side of themast, a cross member integral with the convergent ends of said armmembers and connecting the same to one another, said cross member havinga screw threaded aperture therethrough on an axis substantially'bisecting the angle between said arm members, said arm members each havingadjacent-the convergent end thereof an integral tongue projectinginwardly towards the other arm member, the inner ends of saidtongues-{terminating adjacent the axis of said screw-threaded apertureand cooperating with one another to engage on opposite sides of a screwengaged through said aperture," means for securing one end of astrap-toene of said arms, and strap 'end receiving slots in said armsbetween the free ends 'of said arms and said tongues: I Y

2. The combination claimed in claim 1, said tongues each having a notchon the inner-end thereof, said notches "2,908,470 A g A,

, 4 I being respectively disposed on opposite sides of said axis toreceive said screw. I

3. The combination claimed in claim 2, said tongues comprisingre-entrant bends in said arm portions.

4. The combination claimed in claim 2, said tongues being struck fromthe arm portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSTinnerman Dec. 7, 1943 2,593,130 Flynn Apr. "15,1952 2,682,609 WamplerJune 29 1954

